Exodus 14:10-14 [The Difference Between Reality and Faith]

[Things to Meditate On]

1. At that time, the Red Sea was blocking the way before the children of Israel who had come out of Egypt, and the mighty Egyptian army was pursuing them from behind. The children of Israel had fallen into a desperate situation in which there was absolutely nothing they could do by human thinking or human methods. They were, so to speak, surrounded on all sides. In this situation, what kind of response did they show (verses 10-12)? On the other hand, how did Moses respond (verses 13-14)?

2. The cry that the children of Israel cried out to God in verse 10 above cannot be called a right cry. This is because their cry was not a cry made "by faith," but a cry made because they were "sore afraid." God does not want us to faint in the day of trouble (Proverbs 24:10). Rather, He wants us to have faith that relies only on God in the day of trouble.

Hebrews 10:38 "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 "8For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us."

3. When we look at what the children of Israel said to Moses in verses 11-12 above, we can see how they were accepting the urgent situation that had come upon them. They were not trying to overcome the reality before them by faith in God’s promise. Rather, because of what they saw before their eyes, they became afraid and murmured. From this, we can know that at that time the children of Israel did not have faith in God.

[Decision and Application]

Faith is believing in what is not seen (Hebrews 11:1), and hope that is seen is not hope (Romans 8:24). When we think in connection with these words, the children of Israel at the time of the Exodus should not have trembled in fear because of the urgent reality that had come upon them. Rather, they should have believed God all the more and placed their hope in the word of God (Reference: Daniel 3:15-18). Moses had such faith. In the end, contrary to what the children of Israel feared, God caused them to cross the Red Sea as though walking on dry ground by a method that no man could ever have imagined: He "divided the sea"!

Matthew 19:25-26 "25When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible."

Thus, with God all things are possible. However, whenever the children of Israel who came out of Egypt faced difficulties in the wilderness, they did not "overcome reality by faith." Instead, because of what they saw before them, they became discouraged, were afraid, murmured, and complained. Later, they eventually all died in the wilderness. Only Joshua and Caleb kept faith in God’s promise to the end and were able to possess the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:30-Numbers 14:10).

Long ago, just as God set free the children of Israel who had been serving as slaves in Egypt and led them to the land of Canaan flowing with milk and honey, now through Jesus Christ He has made us free by the truth (John 8:32), delivered us from being subject to bondage to the devil all our lifetime through fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15), and is now leading us to the place that Jesus has prepared (John 14:1-3). Therefore, like those in the past, we are not people who will live forever in this wilderness-like world, but people who will live forever with Jesus in the land of Canaan, that is, in the kingdom of heaven that Jesus has promised and prepared. Therefore, we also must not live by what we see before us, but by faith in the promise of God, just like Moses, Joshua, and Caleb.

For those who believe the words of Jesus, whether things go well or poorly in this world can never be the important issue. In other words, we cannot become proud because we succeed in this world, nor can we become discouraged because we fail. This is because this world is not everything for us (1 Corinthians 15:19). The life we hope for is not in this world, but in the "New Jerusalem" that Jesus has prepared for us (Revelation 21:1-4). Therefore, what matters most to us now is not how well we live in this world, but how much we live in this world "by faith" in the words of Jesus.

Are we now living by what we see before us? Or are we living "by faith" in the words of Jesus?

1 Samuel 17:45-47 "Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied... And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands."

[The words spoken by the young boy David, who stood before the mighty warrior Goliath by faith]

Amen.